Question for Mr. Garges

[MichaelAlan]

From your website I gathered you were some kinda...Drum ....GOD..or something. Just wondering if you could share some drum tuning tips, techniques...and perhaps reccomend a kick drum batter head for rock music.


Mike

[cgarges]

LOL!

I've usually gotten involved in most of the drum tuning discussions around here and there's A LOT of information floating around. I hate to just say UTFSF to you, but check out some of the stuff that's already on here and you'll probably find some specific discussions.

For a sort of well-defined rock kick drum sound, I really like the Evans EQ3s and I'm ecstatic that they're making the coated versions again. I think these heads on a good drum equate to instant kick coolness. I generally like them evenly-tuned at the point just above ripples and I like the way an Evans EQ pad (or whatever the hinged-pillow thing is called) sound placed gently against the batter head. It just makes the kick easier to hear in a loud rock situation. I also really dig those Pearl bass drum beaters with four sides on them and a few years ago, I finally gave in to using one of the plastic sides on rock stuff. The different angles of the different surfaces sound COMPLETELY different, so if you have one of these beaters, listen to all four sides--don't assume it's just felt and plastic.

I've also been sort of into this big, wide-open thing with the Aquarian Super Kick batter heads. I've got those on my Gretsch and Slingerland bass drums right now. Totally different sound-- really big and boomy. I've got Remo Fiberskyns on the front of these drums with a 2"-wide felt strip under the head and the 20" '66 Grestch drum has a light-weight towel that I usually try to get just barely touching both heads.

Hope this helps!

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[drumsound]

Funny you should mention the Super Kick on a Gretsch. I just put the set with the hole in the front head and SK1 atter on my gretsch 16x20 and it sounds great.